What is folic acid?

Folic acid is a type of B vitamin that is normally found in foods such as dried beans, peas, lentils, oranges, whole-wheat products, liver, asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and spinach.

Folic acid helps your body produce and maintain new cells, and also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer.

As a medication, folic acid is used to treat folic acid deficiency and certain types of anemia (lack of red blood cells) caused by folic acid deficiency.

Folic acid is sometimes used in combination with other medications to treat pernicious, aplastic, or normocytic anemia. However it will not treat Vitamin B12 deficiency and will not prevent possible damage to the spinal cord. Take all of your medications as directed.

Important information

You should not use this medication if you have ever had an allergic reaction to folic acid.

Before you take folic acid, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis), an infection, if you are an alcoholic, or if you have any type of anemia that has not been diagnosed by a doctor and confirmed with laboratory testing.

Talk to your doctor about taking folic acid during pregnancy or while breast-feeding. Folic acid is sometimes used in combination with other medications to treat pernicious anemia. However, folic acid will not treat Vitamin B12 deficiency and will not prevent possible damage to the spinal cord. Take all of your medications as directed.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use this medication if you have ever had an allergic reaction to folic acid.

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use folic acid:

kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);

hemolytic anemia;

pernicious anemia;

anemia that has not been diagnosed by a doctor and confirmed with laboratory testing;

an infection; or

if you are an alcoholic.

FDA pregnancy category A. Folic acid is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby, and your dose needs may even increase while you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor about taking folic acid during pregnancy. Your dose needs may also be different if you are breast-feeding a baby. Ask your doctor about taking folic acid if you are breast-feeding.

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What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

What other drugs will affect folic acid?

The dosages of other medications you take may need to be changed while you are taking folic acid.

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:

raltitrexed;

phenytoin (Dilantin);

methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall);

nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin, Macrobid);

pyrimethamine (Daraprim);

tetracycline (Ala-Tet, Brodspec, Sumycin);

a barbiturate such as butabarbital (Butisol), secobarbital (Seconal), pentobarbital (Nembutal), or phenobarbital (Solfoton); or

seizure medication such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or primidone (Mysoline).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with folic acid. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.